Window construction



Feb. 24, 1953 M, R|FK|N 2,629,142

WINDOW CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 7, 1952 /gl N7 l INVENTOR.

.`\" M K /F K /A/ 7 ATTORNEY Patentved Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

Pursuant to the instant invention, sash members may be secured within the conventional window frame in such fashion as to be readily removable therefrom by automatically compensating for fluctuations in width dimensions of the sa-sh members, which occur responsible to changing humidity and weather conditions. In devices heretofore proposed for removably securing sash members in window frames, there has been a failure to provide means for compensating for humidity changes which affect the contraction and expansion of sash members. The absence of these means has necessitated excessive attention on the part of the user to continuously make adjustments to sash members, to either tighten or loosen the degree of their operation between runners as the sash members expanded and contracted, responsive to changes in humidity and weather conditions. This invention overcomes the objections noted above by the provision of a novel construction having means to automatically compensate for dimensional changes, and means to normally hold the sash members in the desired position within the frame while enabling them to be easily removed, when desired.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, `are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claim are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of a window embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with a sash member shown secured in position therein.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the sash member laterally shifted for the purpose of removing the same (in full lines) and in position for removal (in dotted lines) and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the ends of the magnetic means which may be used in connection with a sash member, said ends being provided with a flexible coating.

As shown in the drawings, my invention is adapted for use in connection with any standard window frame. The frame II is shown in the drawings, by way of example only, the invention being adapted for use in connection With any other type of frame to which runners may be secured. The frame member is provided with side jambs I2, I3, to which the runners I4, I5, of my invention are secured; these runners are preferably formed oi' a metal, such as magnetic stainless steel or the like. One of the runners, as, for eX- ample, I5, is rigidly xed as at I6 to a side jamb of the frame; the other runner I4 is provided with a throat portion I'I (Fig. 2) which is apertured at its inner end. A screw or the like I8 is passed through the apertured end of the throat portion I1 of the runner I4 and rigidly fixed to the side jamb I2 of the frame. By this arrangement, it will be apparent that the runner I4 will normally be positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, with the screw received in the innermost apertured end of the runner and holding the runner in place to the jamb. At the same time, the runner I4 may be laterally shifted so as to close the space between the throat portion thereof and the side jamb of the frame to permit removal of the sash member as shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, the sash members 20, 2l are shown secured within the runners and provided with means such as the magnets 22, 22', 23, 23', secured to the sash members, the free ends of the magnets being registered with the sides of the sash members. By this arrangement, the sash members will normally be held in position by virtue of the magnetic attraction exerted by the magnets which are fixed to the sash members, upon the runners; at the same time, by using a slight amount of force, it is possible to vertically move the sash members within the runners to the desired position. To assure the smooth vertical movement of the sashlmembers within the runners, the free ends of the magnets may be provided with a flexible coating such as rubber as indicated at 25, 26 in Fig. 4. These coatings will not impair appreciably the magnetic attraction exerted upon the magnets by the runners. In place of magnets, the side portions of the sash members may be provided with magnetic strips to the same end. It will be understood that a second set of runners will'be mounted on the frame in depth as is the conventional practice where two sash members are used. The second set of runners are designated in Fig. 3 by reference characters I4', I5.

The runners I 4, I5 may be of generally H- shaped cross-section as shown in the drawings or of any other desired cross-sectional outline which will provide the same with channels opening toward each other for the vertical reciprocation of the sash members. The laterally slidable runners are provided with spacing end flanges 30, 3|, as shown in Fig. 3. In addition, any or all of the runners I4, i5, i4', I5 may be provided with anges such as that indicated at 32 in Fig. 3 projecting into the channels of the runners and received in a suitable slot or groove 33 in the sash members to Weatherproof the same. Corresponding r'langes are indicated at 32', 32".

In operation, the sash members would normally be positioned Within the runners, as indicated in Fig. 2 in full lines so as to be readily vertically movable in the normal use of the window. When it is desired to remove a sash member it is laterally shifted so that the movable runner will slide until it abuts the Side jamb of the frame to which it is secured, as indicated in full lines of Fig. 3. The parts are so proportioned that at that line the sash member will be clear of the xed runner, whereupon the sash member may be readily removed by shifting the position thereof as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

The invention will automatically compensate for fluctuations in dimensions responsive to temperature and humidity changes and climatic conditions, as the movable runner will automatically, laterally shift its position toward the side jamb member to which it is secured and back to its original position again as the sash member expands and contracts, respectively. These movements would be automatic. The invention tnus provides means for automatical adjustment for easy vertical sash member movement Without attention or physical adjustment by the user.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A window construction comprising a window frame having a pair of oppositely disposed jamb members, a pair of oppositely disposed metallic runners extending vertically of the frame and secured to the respective jamb members, one of said runners being xedly secured to its jamb member, the opposite runner being spaced from its jamb member and movable laterally with respect thereto, a throat member extending laterally from the base of the movable runner and being formed with an apertured closed outer end, a fastener element extending through the aperture in the end of the throat member and secured to the complementary jamb member, the movable runner being laterally slidable on said fastener element, a window sash slidably mounted between the opposed runners, said sash when moved laterally in one direction forcingl the movable runner outwardly towards its j amb member until the end of the throat member contacts the face of the adjacent jamb member, whereby the other side edge portion of the sash will be moved free of its companion runner to permit the bodily removal of the sash from the frame, and magnets mounted in the side edges of the sash, with their poles facing the respective runners and coacting therewith to hold the sash normally against vertical and lateral sliding movement.

MICHAEL RIFKIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of vrecord in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v Date 451,603 Sterry May 5, 1391 1,864,066 Hovvenstein June 21, 1932 2,203,427 Dautrck June 4, 1940 2,264,020 Dautrick et al. Nov. 25, 1941 2,270,315 Kreuger Jan. 20, 1942 2,471,635 Mark et al May 31, 1949 2,524,924 Pampallona Oct. 10, 1950 

